New York City has opened Ace’s Place, its first shelter dedicated specifically to serving transgender and gender-nonconforming people experiencing homelessness. Operated in partnership with the Bronx-based LGBTQ nonprofit Destination Tomorrow, the 150-bed facility in Long Island City, Queens, will provide transitional housing and wraparound support services for residents.
Fully funded by the city for now, Ace’s Place will receive $65 million to remain operational through 2030. In addition to housing, the shelter will offer on-site psychiatric care, medical referrals, culinary and GED classes, job training, financial literacy and life skills workshops, counseling, and other comprehensive services. Destination Tomorrow will manage day-to-day operations.
The creation of Ace’s Place stems from the city’s settlement of a lawsuit filed by transgender woman Mariah Lopez, who alleged she faced discrimination and harassment after seeking housing at the city’s sole LGBTQ shelter with her service dog.
The lawsuit claimed Lopez was initially denied entry because of her service dog, but a federal judge ordered the shelter to admit her. Once admitted, she alleged she was subjected to verbal and sexual abuse from staff, and, after complaining, was transferred to shelters unequipped to serve transgender individuals, forcing her back onto the street.
Under the settlement, the city was required to either reserve specific beds for transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals in existing shelters or create new facilities dedicated to those communities. The units must meet the needs of trans residents and include accommodations for people with disabilities, such as allowing service animals and ensuring access to medications.
“We couldn’t be prouder to make this historic announcement that strongly affirms our values and commitment to strengthening the safety net for transgender New Yorkers at a time when their rights are roundly under attack,” Department of Social Services Commissioner Molly Wasow Park said in a statement, referring to numerous anti-transgender actions taken by the Trump administration.
“Ace’s Place will offer transgender New Yorkers a safe place to heal and stabilize in trauma-informed settings with the support of staff who are deeply invested in their growth and wellbeing,” she added.
“This shelter is a hard-fought declaration that our transgender and gender nonconforming siblings will no longer be pushed to the margins,” Sean Ebony Coleman, founder and CEO of Destination Tomorrow, said in a statement.
Numerous studies in recent years have shown that transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals are at higher risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability than their cisgender peers. According to the data from the 2022 U.S. Trans Survey, nearly 1 in 3 trans people in the United States have experienced homelessness at some point in their lives.
Transgender and gender-nonconforming people are at significantly higher risk of homelessness than their cisgender peers. The 2022 U.S. Trans Survey found that nearly one in three trans Americans have experienced homelessness at some point.
Research shows that transgender people experiencing homelessness face greater barriers to housing and social services, often due to discrimination. A 2020 study found they also face higher rates of mental health challenges than cisgender homeless people, linked to the physical and sexual violence they may experience on the street.
“We’ve watched so many other corporations and foundations and businesses just like completely turn their back on the community, and the city didn’t do it,” Coleman told Gothamist. “The city is keeping in line with what New York City has always been, a sanctuary city, a safe haven, but more importantly, a trendsetter when it comes to LGBTQ rights.”
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D.C. resident Jevaughn Mark was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for selling fentanyl disguised as ketamine (“Special K”) to two gay men who died after using the drug.
Mark, 33, also known as "Ledo," ran what prosecutors described as a "prolific drug delivery service." He previously pleaded guilty to distributing 40 grams or more of fentanyl, 500 grams or more of cocaine, and possessing a firearm.
As part of his plea deal, Mark accepted responsibility for the deaths of 38-year-old attorney Brandon Román and 28-year-old Robert Barletta, a historic preservation expert who owned a home renovation business.
With Obergefell at risk and 32 states poised to restrict same-sex marriage, LGBTQ advocates push to enshrine protections at the state level.
By Maximilian Sandefer
August 6, 2025
On June 22, 2022, the Supreme Court issued a landmark decision with Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization. Abortion rights were now no longer guaranteed nationwide as the issue was left up to the states. This shock reversal of over 49 years of precedent left reproductive rights activists scrambling as anti-choice state laws stemming from as far back as 1864 were revived and reinstituted.
As people's ability to access to reproductive care dwindled in conservative-led states, activists also found their footing. The 2024 election saw abortion rights ballot measures win in seven out of ten states. As we navigate a landscape where it will likely be a long time before we see any form of successful federal legislation protecting a woman's right to choose, state-by-state activism seems to be the driving force behind change.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has subpoenaed records from the Kilted Mermaid, a popular Vero Beach restaurant, as part of an investigation into a June 29 "Pride Tea Dance" featuring music, dancing, and drag shows.
Uthmeier's office claims the restaurant allowed "adult, sexualized performers in front of children," allegedly violating Florida's blocked law banning drag shows and other "adult live performances."
Announcing the probe on X, Uthmeier wrote, "In Florida, we don't sacrifice the innocence of children for the perversions of some demented adults." He said his office had subpoenaed Kilted Mermaid owner and Vero Beach Vice Mayor Linda Moore to testify and provide documents related to the event.
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